Paper-feed mechanism.



A. C. ROEBUCK.

PAPER FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. I9I4.

1,%U?,6@& Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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PAPER FEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. l9|4.

Patented Dec 5, 1916.

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ALVAH C. ROEBUCK, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODSTOCK TYPEWBITER COMPANY, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

rarnnrrnnn MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5,191l6.

Application filed March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828,165.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAH O. RoEBUcK, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Voodstock, in the county of Mcll-lenry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Feed Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a typewriting machine and more particularly to that part of such a machine known as the paper feed mechanism, arid the principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved form of mechanism which is simple in construction, inexpensive to construct and assemble, and effective and efficient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yielding paper apron of which the pressure may be released, and provided with means for locking the apron in either position, and other means for preventing the rear paper roll from making contact with the paper platen during certain times of the releasing movement.

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I 35 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 of the paper feed mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a part of the mechanism as viewed from the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view of the releasing mechanism taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2-; Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the means for connecting the paper table to the releasing mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a paper per apron pressed upwardly with the front rolls in contact with the platen even though the releasing mechanism has been operated to partially overcome the tension of the springs which press the paper apron yieldingly in the direction of the platen.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generally a platen having a shaft 2 mounted in end plates 3 which are connected by rods 4 and. 5. Also extending between the end plates 3 is a rock shaft 6 to which an arm 7 is connected preferably adjacent each of the end plates. Pivoted to the adjacent end plate 3 is a lever 8 extending above it with a finger grip portion 9 at its upper end having a slot 10 at its other end through which a. projection 11 extends to limit the movement of the lever 8 in both directions. Connecting the lever 8 and the arm 7 is a link 12, the connection being such that when the lever is in one position the link will be connected to the lever on one side of the center line between the point of pivotal support of the lever and the point of connection of the link with the arm 7, and in its other position, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3, the said connection will be on the other side of the center line. lever in either of the two positions. Also connected to the shaft 6 is an arm 13 having an upward projection 13 and an angular portion 14 extending parallelwith the axis of the shaft, and connected to the rod 5 is a perforated abutment 15 which is disposed beneath the arm 13 near each end of the platen. The lower side of the angular portion 14 is preferably formed with a projection 16 substantially in line with the perforation. in the abutment 15, and disposed between them is a spring 17 the tension of which may be varied by a stud '18 threaded in the perforation of the abutment. Connected to and extending laterally from the arm 13 is a stud 19 with a nut 20 for holding it in position. A paper apron 21 preferably consisting of a single piece of thin metal is formed with apertures 22, preferably three in number, at the forward edge thereof and with a lug 23 at the outer end of each end aperture, with recesses 24, preferably four in number, at the rear edge and 2. lug 25 at each end of the apron in line with the apertures 24, and with a lug 26 bent from the sheet adjacent each end of the paforations 22 and 24. These lugs 23 and 25 at each end of the paper apron are adapted to receive shafts 27 and 28 on the former of which rollers 29 are mounted extending partially through the apertures 22 and 'on the latter of which the rollers 30 are mounted extending partially through the recesses 24 of the paper apron. The studs 19 adjacent each end of the platen (only one of which is shown) are each adapted to be inserted through a perforation in the lug 26 of the paper apron so that the paper apron is connected by means of the arms 13 to the rock shaft 6. It is obvious, therefore, that the movement of the release lever 8 to the for- Ward dotted position shown in Fig. 3 will cause the drawing the paper apron 21 away from the platen. It is to be understood, of course, that the rollers 29 and 30 extend through the apertures. 22 and recesses 24, respectively, a sufficient distance to engage the platen 1.

Supported by each of the studs 19 is a coil spring 31, one end 32 of which extends forwardly underneath the front end of the paper apron 21 and the other end 33 of which extends beneath the rock shaft 6 so that the spring tends to press the forward end of the paper apron and the forward rollers 29 upwardly in engagement with the paper apron at all times even though the release lever 8 has been moved forwardly to withdraw the paper apron partially from its engagement with the platen.

Pivoted in the end plates 3 behind theplaten" 1 is an erasure table 34. which bears against one of the rods 4 to hold it in position and which is movable about its pivot point to a forward position extending partially over the platen at the rear. This erasure table is substantially in line with the upper end of the paper apron 21 so that in inserting the paper it is guided readily betweenthe upper or rear end of the paper apron 21 and the platen 1.

The construction and operation of this mechanism is apparent from this description and it should be noted that both the front and rear sets of rollers are mounted on the corresponding front and rear shafts which insures-the alinement of the rollers of each set materially increasing the facility of assembling the parts and improving their alinement. The springs 17 are individually adjustable so that, when properly adjusted, there will be no more tension of the rollers on one side of the paper apron than on the other. It should also be noted that the springs 31 keep the front rollers in contact with the platen during the early part of the releasing movement and cause the rear pressure rollers to disengage from the platen as soon as the releasing movement begins and prevent themfrom again engaging the springs 17 to be pressed thereby platen until the last stage of the return of the paper apron. \Vhen guide rollers 30 and the rear of paper apron 21 have been moved a certain distance from the platen, the apron contacts with projection 13 of the arms 13, and when this occurs the front portion of the apron with the rollers 29 are released from the platen. At this time the lever 8 is in the position shown in dotted outline by Fig. 3, locking the release lever and holding the apron 21 and all of the rollers out of engagement with the platen until lever 8 is released by returning it to the full line position.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. Paper feed mechanism comprising a paper apron and a spring intermediate the front and rear thereof to press the apron in one direction, and an additional spring tending to press the front of the apron in the same direction independently of the other spring.

2. Paper feed mechanism embodying a platen, a paper feed apron and a spring to press the entire apron toward the platen, and an additional spring bearing yieldingly against one portion of the apron tending to press that portion in the direction of the platen.

3. Paper feed mechanism embodying a platen, a paper apron, a spring intermediate of the front and rear thereof to press the apron yieldingly in the direction of the platen, and an additional spring bearin directly against and tending to press the front end only of the paper apron against the platen.

4. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending thereunder, a support for the paper apron, springs tending to press the support and the apron toward the'platen, means for adjusting the tension of each of the springs separately, and additional springs bearing directly on the front of the apron to press it against the platen.

5. In paper feeding mechanism comprising a platen, an apron disposed beneath the platen, a movable support for the apron, an adjustable spring at each end of the paper apron for urging the support in the direction of' the platen intermediate of the front and rear thereof, and an additional spring to engage the front of the paper apron tending to force it toward the platen.

6. In paper feeding mechanism comprising a platen, an apron disposed beneath the platen, a movable support for the apron, an adjustable spring at each end of the paper apron for urging the support in the direction of the platen intermediate of the front and rear thereof, and an additional spring carried by the support tending to press the front of the paper apron against the platen.

7. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending thereunder, a support for the paper apron comprising a rotatable shaft and arms connected thereto, another arm extending fromthe shaft, a pivoted lever, and a link connecting the lever and the last named arm whereby the lever will move the apron in both directions.

8. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending beneath the platen, a movable support for the apron, a lever, and a link connection between the lever and the support having a point of connection between the pivot point-of the lever and the point of connection of the link with the movable support which is movable on either side of the center line between the pivot point of the lever and the pivot point of the link connection with the support whereby the support is held in position with the connection on either side of the said center-line.

9. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending thereunder, a support for the paper apron comprising a rotatable shaft and arms connected thereto, another arm extending from the shaft, a pivoted lever, a link connecting the lever and the last named arm, and means to limit the movement of the lever in both directions.

10. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper feed apron extending thereunder, a support for the apron comprising a rock shaft and arms extending therefrom connected with the apron, springs tending to press the arms toj ward the platen, a lever pivotally mounted at the end of the platen, another arm on the rock shaft, a link to connect the lever to the last named link on the rock shaft, and a stop to limit the movement of the lever in both directions.

11. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron therefor extending beneath the platen, a support for the paper apron to move it toward and from the platen, springs tending to press the support in the direction of the platen, an additional spring mounted on the support and bearing against the front end of the paper apron, a lever, a link connecting the lever and the support whereby the movement of the lever will press the support springs to move the paper apron away from the platen, and means to limit the movement of the lever in both directions.

12. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron disposed thereunder, a support for the paper apron, a spring tending to press the paper apron toward the platen, means to compress the spring for withdrawing the paper apron from the platen, and an additional spring carried by the support bearing directly against the front end of the paper apron to press the front end in contact with the platen when the paper apron is withdrawn from the platen.

13. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending thereunder having downwardly projecting lugs, a support for the paper apron comprising a rock shaft, arms secured to the rock shaft, studs inserted through the lugs and connected to the arms, springs to press the arms toward the platen, and additional resilient means to press the front only of the apron toward the platen.

14:. Paper feeding mechanism comprising a platen, a paper apron extending thereunder having ears bent downwardly adjacent the ends of the apron and intermediate of the front and rear thereof, a support for the apron comprising a rock shaft, arms connected therewith adjacent the ends of the paper apron each having a projection therefrom, studs to connect the lugs of the apron with the said arms, a fixed abutment and springs extending between the abutment and angular portion of the arms tending to press the arms upwardly and the apron against the platen.

15. Paper feeding mechanism comprising a platen, a paper apron extending thereunder having ears bent downwardly adjacent the ends of the apron and intermediate of the front and rear thereof, a support for the apron comprising a rock shaft, arms connected therewith adjacent the ends of the paper apron each having a projection therefrom, studs to connect the lugs of the apron with the said arms, a fixed abutment, springs extending between the abutment and angular portion of the arms tending to press the rear recesses and intermediate of the line of the recesses and the said apertures, a shaft connected to the lugs at the front and rear, rollers mounted on the shafts and extending from the under side of the paper apron partially through the apertures at the front and the recesses at the rear, means connected to the intermediate lugs tending to press the paper apron against the platen, and additional means carried by the front shaft tending to press the front of the apron against the platen.

17. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper feed apron formed with front perforations, -rear recesses and lugs depending from the front, rear and central portions thereof adjacent the ends, a support for the apron comprising a rock shaft, arms connected thereto, studs extending through intermediate lugs and through the arms,abutments below the arms, springs disposed between the abutments and the arms tending to press the arms and the paper apron in the direction of the platen, a single shaft extending across all the apertures and a single shaft extending across all the recesses, both of said shafts being mounted in the lugs at the front and the rear of the paper table, rollers mounted on each of the shafts extending partially through the apertures and recesses, means to operate the support for theapron comprising a conneetion adapted to be held in either of two positions by the tension of the springs, and an additional spring carried by each of the studs adapted to press the front end of the paper apron toward the platen whereby the releasing mechanism will move the rear rollers first from the platen and will return them last during the releasing movement.

18. In paper feeding mechanism, the combination with a platen, of a paper apron extending beneath the platen, a movable support for the apron, a spring disposed between the support and the apron, a lever to control the movement of the support whereby the apron is moved toward and from the platen, an additional spring for pressing one side of the apron toward the platen, and a projection to engage the paper apron on the opposite side when the lever is operated to move the apron away-from the platen whereby the said other side of the apron will be moved away from the platen with the spring-pressed side in engagement therewith until the said other side engages the projection whereupon the entire apron will be moved away.

19. In paper feeding mechanism, a platen, an apron disposed beneath the platen, a movable support for the apron, means interposed between the apron and the support for pressing the apron yieldingly toward the platen, a lever to control the operation of the support toward and from the platen, the said support comprising an arm with a projection thereon adapted to engage the rear of the apron when it is moved from the platen, and an additional spring bearing against the front of the apron to hold that portion thereof in contact with the platen until the rear of the apron engages with the said projection.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, on this 16th day of March, A. D. 1914.

ALVAH C. ROEBUCK. 

